Roles and Responsibilities of Adapted Physical Education Teachers in an Urban School District

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the roles and responsibilities of itinerant adapted physical education (APE) teachers at urban public schools. A second purpose is to determine how they execute their roles and responsibilities. Participants include six women with experience as itinerant APE teachers from the same urban school district. The research method is exploratory multiple-case study. Data are collected from focused interviews and on-site observations. Constant comparative procedures are used for within-case and cross-case analyses. Several themes emerge from the data. These themes are (a) teaching as obligatory, (b) self-reliant, and (c) teaching effectiveness relative and contextually situated. Gaining a better understanding of the experiences of practicing APE teachers in urban public schools who teach a diversity of students is important to the preparation of future teachers.